Typically, headlights are activated in dusk or night hours to illuminate the road directly ahead of the vehicle. However, while driving in daylight hours, headlights may be turned on momentarily (flashed) to attract the attention of a driver in another vehicle. However, the switching system of conventional headlight systems of manufactured vehicles, functions to turn on (illuminate) and flip-up both flip-up type headlights simultaneously. Henceforth, the conventional headlight systems do not allow the flip-up type headlights to be operated to give the appearance that a headlight has winked.
Several devices have been patented which are aimed at headlight assemblies which are rotated or pivoted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,301, to Inoue et al., entitled "RETRACTABLE HEAD LAMP DEVICE AND A METHOD OF ASSEMBLING THE SAME" disclose a retractable head lamp device which is rotated to a retracted position or an operable position wherein when the head lamp device is in the operable position, the head lamp is projected above the outer surface of the hood of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,746, to Sumlin, entitled "PORTABLE FOG AND DRIVING LIGHT ASSEMBLY" discloses a rotatable fog light assembly which is in the form of an elongated shaft rotatable at opposite ends. In operation, the shaft is rotated from a first position generally vertically below the bumper of the vehicle and a second position generally behind and in the horizontal plane of the bumper.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,134, to Haydu et al., entitled "ACTUATOR MECHANISM FOR A CONCEALABLE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY" discloses a headlamp assembly and a linkage of an actuator mechanism for rotating the headlamp assembly to a fully exposed position or a fully concealed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,306, to Harris et al., entitled "REMOTE ADJUSTING MEANS FOR A VEHICLE HEADLAMP" discloses a vehicle headlamp which can be adjusted for vertical and horizontal focusing.
Other patents in the headlamp art for vehicles are U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,906, to Kircher, entitled "SWIVELLABLE FASTENING SYSTEM FOR A HEADLIGHT UNIT" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,895, to Brandenburg, entitled "RETRACTABLE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY".
While each of the above headlamp assemblies functions as desired, none of them provide a flip-up headlight winking system which controls the retractable headlights of the vehicle to give the appearance that a headlight has winked. Moreover, the above headlamp assemblies do not provide a flip-up headlight winking system which may be provided with a optional headlight flasher module to cause the headlights to flash during the winking mode of operation.
Furthermore, the above headlamp assemblies do not provide a method of winking a headlight.
As will be seen more fully below, the present invention is substantially different in structure, methodology and approach from that of the prior headlamp assemblies.